Spring-loaded rolling coulter



June 1969 J. F. SULLIVAN SPRING'LOADED ROLLING COULTER Filed Oct. 21. 1965 INVENTOR.

JAMES F. SULLIVAN ATTORNEY \aLI United States Patent U.S. Cl. 172572 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rolling coulter assembly in which the coulter is mounted for movement toward and away from a plow frame. The coulter is normally held in its lower working position by a stack of compressible Belleville washers.

This invention relates generally to agricultural implements and more particularly to spring-loaded rolling coulters for use with moldboard plows.

Prior art spring-loaded rolling coulter constructions are Well known in the art but have not been entirely successful. These prior art devices have generally employed helical compression springs to normally bias the rolling coulter into a ground-working position. The employment of helical compression springs is not desirable since the springs must be of fairly large size to have the desired initial preload, the relatively large size causing trash to build up upon the coulter assembly. Another disadvantage of helical springs is that if the spring should break, it is necessary to replace the entire spring.

Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a coulter construction which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art spring-biased coulter constructions which employ helical compression springs by employing Belleville washers. One advantage achieved by the employment of Belleville washers is that a higher load can be de signed with less deflection in a smaller spring volume. A further advantage of Belleville washers is that a compact design is permitted which reduces the tendency of trash buildup on the assembly. A further advantage of Belleville washers is that each Belleville washer can be conveniently and economically replaced without the necessity of replacing the entire spring assembly as is the case when helical springs are employed. A further advantage of the employment of Belleville washers is that a positive precalculated preload of the coulter assembly can be achieved which insures the proper preload for cutting trash yet permitting deflection over solid obstructions to prevent damage to the coulter components.

A further object of this invention is to provide a spring biased rolling coulter construction which is reliable in operation, easily serviced, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which the preferred form of this invention is illustrated.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the coulter construction of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial end view of the coulter construction shown in FIG. 1.

The coulter construction of this invention is adapted to be secured to a longitudinally extending plow beam 12 by means of conventional clamping brackets 14 and a U-bolt 16 which secures the coulter standard 18 to the plow beam 12. The coulter assembly is adapted to be propelled forwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow A and if the coulter disk 20 strikes an obstruction during plowing, it will be free to move upwardly in the direction of the arrow B against the action of the compression spring assembly indicated generally at 22.

The construction of this invention includes a mounting block 24 which is provided at its forward end with upper and lower spaced apart apertured members 26 and 28, respectively, the upper portion 26 carrying right and left apertured ears 30, 32, respectively. The rear end of the mounting block 24 is provided with transversely disposed right and left spaced apart rear portions 34, 36, respectively, which are provided with transversely extending apertures (no number). A split collar 38 is disposed about a lower portion of the standard 18 and is secured thereto by means of a bolt 40 and a nut 42. The split collar 38 holds the mounting block against vertical movement upon the standard 18 while permitting the block 24 to rotate about a vertical axis.

A coulter yoke which is indicated generally at 44 is provided with rightand left-hand rearwardly extending bifurcated portions 46, 48, respectively, which are secured to each other by a forward bight portion 50. The rear ends of the portions 46, 48 carry an axle 52 about which the coulter disk 20 rotates. The forward portion 50 is provided with upper and lower apertures (no number), the lower aperture receiving a pivot pin 56 which extends outwardly of either side of the portion 50, the outer portions of the pivot pin 56 being received within the apertures of the rear portions 34, 36. The pivot pin 56 is secured to the portion 50 by means of a roll pin 58.

The upper aperture 60 receives a transversely extending pin 62 which also extends to either side of the portion 50, the pin being provided with right and left threaded apertures 64. Two cap screws, each having a head portion 66 and a longitudinally extending shank portion 68, are disposed with the shank portions threaded within the apertures 64 of the transversely extending pin 62 and slidably disposed within the apertures of the ears 30, 32. A jam nut 70 is mounted on the end of the shank portion 68 of each of the cap screws with the inner surface 72 of the jam nut bearing against the rear surface of the pin 62. Disposed about each of the shanks 68 are a plurality of Belleville washers 74, preferably in alternate sequence as shown in FIG. 1.

In normal operation the coulter is disposed in the manner shown in FIG. 1 with the heads of the cap screws bearing against the outer surfaces of the ears 30, 32 and the Belleville washers bearing against the inner or rear surface 76 of the ears 30, 32 at one end and against the forward or inner surface of the pin 62. In this position the coulter disk 20 is held in its normal under a preload imposed upon it by the Belleville washers 74, the preload being adjusted by the position of the cap screws within the threaded apertures 64. Upon encountering an obstruction the coulter disk may move upwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow B against the compressive action of the Belleville washers, the shanks 68 being free to slide within the apertures of the ears 30, 32. After the obstruction has been passed, the arm 44 will again move downwardly, its downward movement being limited by the stop action of the head of the cap screw 66.

While the preferred structure in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated is shown and described above, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the particular details, shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A coulter construction comprising a vertical rounded coulter mounting standard; a mounting block having upper and lower spaced apart forward portions with vertically aligned annular apertures therein for receiving the standard, transversely disposed spaced apart rear portions having transversely extending aligned annular apertures therein, and transversely aligned and vertically disposed ears mounted on the forward end of the upper portion, said ears having longitudinally extending apertures; a collar disposed about and fixed to said standard and between said upper and lower portions and in substantially horizontal alignment with said rear portions, said split collar being fixedly attached to said standard to hold said mounting block against substantially vertical shifting while permitting the block to swivel on the standard; a coulter yoke having a forward portion with upper and lower transversely extending pivot openings, with the upper of the openings being horizontally rearwardly oifset from the ears and a rear bifurcated portion; a coulter disk pivotally carried by the bifurcated portion, transversely extending pivot pin means extending through said transversely extending annular apertures and through the lower of the openings in the forward portion of said coulter yoke whereby said coulter yoke is pivotally secured to said mounting block, a transversely extending pin extending through the upper of the openings and having spaced apart apertures disposed on either side of a central portion and in substantially horizontal rearward alignment with the aforesaid longitudinally extending apertures of the ears; a pair of longitudinally extending 4 shaft means disposed within said longitudinally extending apertures and the spaced apart apertures in said transversely extending pin and provided with abutment means at either end normally in contact with said ears and said pin; and a plurality of conical washers disposed about said shaft means and normally held in compression between the ears and said transverse pin so as to bias the yoke downwardly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,112,798 12/1963 Foxwell l727 1,035,450 8/ 1912 Klung 172-572 X 1,425,451 8/ 1922 Conti 172-572 2,331,686 10/ 1943 Hintz 172269 3,061,018 10/1962 Olson 172-602 X 3,202,223 8/1965 Fulton 172r264 3,302,728 2/1967 Sullivan et a1, 172.265

A. E. KOPECKI, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 172-264 

